Protective closure



Aug. 29, 1933. c. A. SCHEELER PROTECTIVE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 29, 1933. c. $HEELER 1,924,330

PROTECTIVE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet ,2

Patented Aug. 29, 1933' PROTECTIVE CLOSURE Charles Scheeler, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Buffalo .Wire Works 00., ,Inc., Bufialo N. Y., a V

corporation of New York Application October 14, 1931; Serial No. 568,764

4 Claims. (o1.,20 1.o1')

This invention relates to a protective closure for a passage in a partition between the oflice of o a bank teller or the like on one side of a wall or partition and the reception room of the public on 8 the other side thereof so that money and'valuables' can be safely passed through said passage from one party to the other without exposing the cash-" ier to the danger of being shot or otherwise injured by bandits in attempting to holdup the bank.

It is the: object of this invention to provide a closure of this character which is simple and compact in. construction, and which can be readily and easily operatedfor transferring money and.

valuables through the opening in the partition and yet protect the cashiervr gains't possible injury if attacked'by criminalsintending to 'rob the bank. In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the protective closure embodying my invention. r Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof and showing in section the partition or wall in which the closure is mounted. 1

Fig. 3 is a top plan of the same. 7 Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the same taken on line 4+4, Fig. 3'.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinalsection same taken on line 5+5, Fig. 3. I

Fig. 6 is a. horizontal section taken on line 66; Fig.1.'- v

In the following description similar characters of reference indicatelike parts in the several'flgof the ures of the drawings. i r r The numeral 10 represents the wall or parti .tion of a building on the inner side of .which is arranged the desk or office of a" bank teller, or other ofiicer and'on'the opposite side of'which is located a reception room for the use'of the public and in this wall is arranged an opening or window 11 through which moneys, documents and other valuables may be exchanged between the public-and said "oflicial as commonly done in banks or similar institutions. The protective closure embodying the presentin'vention for the purpose of permitting an exchange of valuables through this opening between the public on one side of this partitionand the official ongtheother side of the same and still safeguarding, the

. official against possible 'attack by shooting or otherwise by bandits from the public side of the partition is preferably constructed as follows:

'Within the opening 11 in the partition is arranged a frame which preferably consists of upper and lower horizontal angle irons or bars 12, 13 and two upright side angle ironsl or bars 14, 15 which connect corresponding ends of the upper and lowerbarsgfsaid bars formingtogether a rectangularframe so that the rear-fiangesof these bars are arranged within the opening'11 while the front flanges thereof, engage with the front or public side of theipartition andfaresecured thereto byany suitablem'eans forinstance by means of bolts 16, as shown in'Figs. 2, 3,5 and 6. In order to finish off the frontside of this frame the samemay be provided with-a molding or finishing strip 17 of rectangular form whichjis applied to the front .side of qthesarhe aroundthe opening therein, as best shown in- Figs 5 and6.

Projecting rearwardly and laterally from 'the rear flanges. of the upright ,bars' 14, 15 of the window frame are two upright side walls of an housing eachofwhich comprises a curved body lcandafront flange -19 arranged'at the vertical front edge of this wall and securedto the outer side of the vertical flange of :the respective frame side bar 14 or 15 by meansof b0lts 20. '.These 7 5 two side Walls of the housing are vspaced apart andhave their concave sides opposed to each other and preferably arranged concentrically relatively to each other and also concentrically with reference to a turret which is arranged within this. housing as will be described later on. At its rear edge each of the housing side walls '18 is provided with a forwardly projecting upright channel 21 which is formed thereon by curling or bending the rear edge portion of each; of these side walls inwardly and forwardly relatively to V the turretv "axis the' requisite extent. At its lower, edge: each of the housing side walls 18 is provided with a horizontal fiange'2 2 which extends inwardly toward theaxis of the turret and which is arranged between-these housing side walls, and on the upper edge of each of the hous-. ing side walls the same is provided with a similar horizontal flange 23 which also'projectsinwardly toward the axis'of the turret. Each of the side walls of thehousingtogether with its front attaching flange 19, rear channel 21 andlower and upperflanges 22 and 23 are constructed of sheet steel or other strong and durable material which. is bullet-proof or highly'resistant against the 0.

. penetration by bullets which may be fired against the same by fire arms in the hands of bandits who may be attempting to hold up the, cashier and rob the bank. r 1 t Projectingrearwardly from the rear flange of the lower bar of the window frame is a supporting arm 24'of sheet metal which is secured at. its front end to the rear fiange of each lower frame bar by means of bolts 25 or other suitable means, and projecting rearwardly from the rear flange of the upper Window frame bar 12 is another horizontal supporting arm 26, of metal which is secured at its front end to the respective rear flange of the upper window bar l2by bolts 2'7,

ing and'the' "lower and upper supportingarms 24 and 26 is arranged a turret which is so constructed that persons located on the opposite sides of the building partition are able to pass monies, papers, documents or otheryal-uableszi back and forth through the window in the par-- being shot by anyone located in front'of tlfe partition. This turret in 'its preferred form is" constructed as follows:

The numeral 28 represents a lowerhorizontal metal disk preferably of circular form which .is arranged between the housingside walls 18 andthefront flange 19 and rear channel 21 thereof and above the lower supporting arm 24, the lower circular; disk and arranged between the upper parts of the: housing side walls. 18, the. front flanges 19 and rear} channels 21 thereof and underneath the rear flange of the upper window bar 12 andthe. upper supporting arm 26. This upper disk 31 isprovided with an upwardly proieeting pivot. pin-32; which is journaled in a beare ing {opening 3-3iformed in the"; central part of a the upper supporting arm-26. Extending diametricallyacrossthe central part of. the spacebetween thelower, and upper'heads 28 and 31 of.

the" turret is a: partition which'preferably' con. sists of. two-'plates'34 of sheet metal which are arranged side by side and securedat their upper and lower edges to the adjacent surfaces of the turr'et-heads28 and 31 by means of spot weld-' ingor' any other suitable means; At opposite ends of this partitiorithev turret is providedwith two side walls'e'ach ofwhich preferably consists of. two sheet-metalplates 35,v 35 which are formed integrally with thepartition plates 34,v 34,-, re-

spectively, and project. laterally therefromin op,-

posite; directions. from the corresponding edges thereof and-are secured at their lower and upper ends 'to the lower and upper: heads of. the: turret byiispot' welding .or otherwise. By thismea-ns two compartments: or chambers. 36,. 37 are formed on the turret which are arranged diametrically oppo site each other and have their open sides facingoutwardly toward the periphery of the turret; V "Ihside walls of the turret are arranged tangentially with reference to the axis "of the turretso'as to form" pockets 38 in the opposite sides "of these turret side wall'sand the peripheraledg'sof the heads of'the samej Withineachof thesepockets'two cleats or stiifenin'g bars 9 of til : angular form are arranged and" secured to the outer'sides of theedgelportions ofithe'sidewall sectihns 35 and also the adjacent peripheral D0 tions of the lower and upper'heads of the turret by means of spot welding or the like." The lower and upper heads; diametricat partition, the

side walls and the reinforcing cleats of the turthe. same to bej'turned. at will. Thislocking p bles may in like ret are all preferably'constructed of sheet'steel or other material which is practically proof against perforation by bullets which are fired from a revolver or other firearm. 'This turret may be turned by the cashier or other person on the rear or inner side of the partition by means of alhandleh39 applied to the upper end ofthe upper pivot pin 32;

"Locking means are provided for holding the turret against turning when one of its chambers opens fully toward the window opening and the other opens fully toward the cashier space on the inner side-of the building partition or wall tition without at any time enp'psing theper$hn fjwh ibhi,16 lif1g meansa-re so constructed that they in rear of'the partition'toj'possible' dangerpff arejonlyr'eleasable'from the inner side of the building wall a nd thereby prevent rotation of the turret Jbyanyo'ne: from the front or outer side of this building wall. Although these locking means maybe of any suitable construction the same. are preferably constructed .as follows:

' 'Thenunier'als. 40, 41 represent. two lockingopenings whichare formedinl'the upper head 31 of thelturret' diametrically opposite sides of the axis. thereof and 42 repre'sents a inciting-pin; or catch' which is mounted on the housing and. adapted-toreleasably engage one or the. other of, these locking openingsrfor the purpose of eitherholding the turret againstfturninglor to permit- 42. is. guided in arr opening 43 formed in the .1 endof the upper supporting arm.-26 and is mount-' ed on the centralpartof ashifting arm .44 which is: preferably constructedof. a strip of spring. metal which; is arrangedabove the rear. part i the upper supporting arm- .26 and. has its front end secured theretoby means of rivets .or the like while its. rear end is provided with a handle 46 whereby this shifting arm. may be manipu For. the purpose oi retaining. the two sections of the housing on opposite sides of'theturret in their proper position relatiye toeachother and to the turret a transverse brace 47 of metal'isfpreferably employed which extends over thelupper headlof the turret and the-adiaeent part of the upper supporting arm 26 and is-securedatiitsopposite ends. to the, upper flanges 23 of the housing side walls by means of screws 48, as shown in Fig. 3, or; by means of other suitable fastenings. Intheposition. of the partsshown in Fig. 5 the shifting arm 44 is depressed due to itsresilience. soth'at the locking pin-"42is engaged with the rear locking-opening. 40: in theturret whereby the latter is heldaagainst turning. If itis desired to; ro-' tate the turret the officer on the. inner side of the building partition 10 raises the shifting arm44 by" means ofthehandle 46 a suflicient extentto dis.- engage the IOGki'ngpinAZ from the opening: 40 whereupon the-turret maybe rotated by means of the handle 39 so as to reverse the positionot.

the. chambers' or compartments 36- and 3'7 and 44 willcause the resilience of the same toengage. the. locking." pin' 42 with the other locking after such reversal releasing o1 the shiftingarm opening 41 and. again hold the turretv against turning:

" .While the turret is thus locked persons on the wardly opening compartment of the partition and transferred from the inner side of the turret to the outer side of the same which faces the window in the building wall for removal by the person on the front side of this partition.

While the turret is in a position in which one of its transfer chambers faces fully forwardly and the other fully rearwardly, then the upper and lower heads, side walls and. diametrical partition of the turret form a complete obstruction against the passage of any bullets which may be fired through the window toward the cashier, thereby preventing the latter from being injured by bandits. r i

If a bandit attemptingto hold up the bank should fire a bullet from the outer side of the building partition into the space between the turret and either side wall of the housing for the purpose of injuring the cashier and holding up the bank such bullets would glance off from the concave inner side of the respective housing side wall and enter the vertical gutter 21 of the respective side wall and be directed by the latter upwardly or downwardly toward the upper or lower flange of the respective housing side wall and thereby prevent it from striking the cashier and injuring him.

It will now be clear that by means of this protective closure valuables can be transferred through the cashier window in the building wall from the public to the private side of the same without liability of the cashier on the private side of the partition being injured by bullets firedthrough the window in attempting to hold up the bank.

I claim as my invention:

1. A protective closure for an opening in a' and heads two outwardly opening chambers on diametrically opposite sides of the turret which turret said partition consisting of two plates ar may be selectively exposed on either side of said ranged side by side and each of said side walls fss having an upper, head, a lower head, two side walls arranged between said heads, and a partition between said walls and forming with the side walls and heads two outwardly opening chambers on diametrically opposite sides of the turret which may be selectively exposed on either side of 'said turret said partition'consisting of two plates arranged side by side and each of, said side walls consisting of plates extending laterallyin opposite directions from the corresponding ends of two partition plates and cleats secured to the outer sides of said turret side walls at opposite ends thereof. I i

3. A protective closure for an opening in a'wall comprising a housing having a frame arranged in said opening and two guard walls projecting laterally from opposite vertical sides of said frame, and a turret pivotally SuppOrted on said housing between the guard walls thereof and having oppositely openingchambers said guard walls being curved concentrically with the axis of said turret and provided at their corresponding 7 outer ends with inwardly turnedcatch channels. .4. A'protective closure for an opening in a wall comprising a housing having a frame arranged'in said opening and two'guard walls projecting laterally from opposite vertical sides of said frame, and a turret pivotally supported on said housing between the guard Walls thereof and having oppositely opening chambers said guard walls being curved concentrically with the axis of said turret and provided at their upper and lower ends with inwardly projecting flanges which overlap the upperand lowerends of the turret.

CHARLES A. SCHEELER. 

